Court to hear more evidence in brolga deaths case

By Renee Cluff
Tue Aug 13 09:57:04 EST 2013

More evidence will be heard today in the case of a far north Queensland farm manager who is charged over the death of protected birds.

Richard Thiele, the managing director of Osprey Australia, which runs Mandalee Station on the southern Tablelands, has pleaded not guilty to breaching the Nature Conservation Act after more than 50 dead birds were discovered at the property in 2011.

At least 10 of them were protected brolgas.

Lawyers for the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection allege the birds died from eating corn laced with the pesticide Fenamiphos.

The defence argues any member of the public could have accessed the 2,300 hectare property and caused the deaths.